Palestinian Affairs

According to the Jerusalem Post, plans for a joint Fatah-Hamas government have fallen through, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is now looking at forming a government of independents and academics. How, you may ask, is the Fatah President able to lay these sorts of plans when Hamas is the ruling party? Most of the Hamas government has been arrested by Israel, and Abbas is more than willing to proceed without their input. Even if Israel didn't deliberately set out to undo the results of the Palestinian Parliamentary elections, that has been the effect, and while I have no great love for Hamas, can't endorse the IDF undertaking a military coup on behalf of their preferred leadership.

Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, a group called the Holy Jihad Brigades is seeking the release of Muslim prisoners in the U.S. in exchange for kidnapped FOX News reporters Steve Centanni and Olaf Wiig. This comes at the same time as a massive protest in favor of a renewed political caliphate.